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Originally Posted by Kimberly Dow
Can you tell me what if any the difference is between the realgesso panels and ABS for painting on?
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I had to really think about this question. (I use Maroger which tends to make the surface shiny whatever ground I use.) The difference is a bit like the difference between good fake pearls and real pearls. They look the same but there is a very subtle difference in touch. When I put my hand on an ABS panel there is a subtle tactile difference, in temperature and ....hmm... can I say "responsiveness"? The gessoed board feels like a refridgerated hardboiled egg. The ABS feels like my computer mouse. I preferred the feel of the gessoed surface, but now that I think of it, I also really like hardboiled eggs.
Okay, you ask, does this make any difference? Well, one of the things I brood about when I paint (other than the usual "Why is there pain and suffering in the world?" and "Will an asteroid hit our planet?") is "To what extent does the process affect the final product?" One of my theories is that if you make the creative process better you make your product better. In other words, whatever helps you to immerse yourself in the creative process will keep you working more and will (hopefully) result in better technique and a better painting.
I think it's also a good idea to try out a new surface on a painting that's not an "important commission". I don't always follow this advice myself, though.